The Chosen Child
by MyDearGoddessofthemoonandsun
Summary: Chloe Bourgeois always knew things would be a little complicated regarding her relationship with Adrien and Marinette. Good thing she's more than ready to tackle them head on. This is the Sequel to "It is as Simple and as Complicated as that." Might need to read that first to make sense of what's going on.


I was always the chosen child  
The biggest scandal I became  
They told me I'd never survive,  
But survival's my middle name!

\- How do you love someone?, Ashley Tisdale

 **Note:** Sorry for the long wait for this sequel. It was surprisngly difficult for me to get Chloe's voice just right. Feedback is always awesome! Tell me what you think about my Chloe and her relationships.

 **Note 2:** There will be some time jumps in this fic. This takes place right after "Hope is the thing with feathers" and goes all the way past the end of "It is as simple and complicated as that".

"Talking on the Phone"

* * *

Chloe was no stranger to gossip or rumors. Other people's opinions about her have always been present in her life. For example; many people would claim that Chloe Bourgeois had been nothing but a spoiled brat all her life and that she would never amount to anything without her daddy's help. Others would add that she was nothing but a drama queen and a bully who took pleasure in getting the attention and being number one.

As she finished touching up her makeup in her bathroom, Chloe bemusedly agreed that there was some truth in what people thought of her. She **was** spoiled by her father, and she **did** love being the center of attention. Fixing her hair one last time, she smirked at her reflection before grabbing her jacket and suitcase.

However if people honestly believed that she was **nothing more** than a drama queen and a bully then they were in for a big surprise.

Sliding into her father's limousine she took out her cell phone and quickly called Sabrina.

"Morning Sabrina, how's Raine? Is it a boy day or a girl day?"

"Good Morning Chloe! I hope you had a lovely sleep last night. Raine is doing fine and is telling me to tell you that it's a girl day. Now I would just like you to know that the weather in France right now is clear skies with a light breeze, so your plane will have no delays due to weather. Boarding starts at 8 am and you should be arriving Paris by 3: 10 in the afternoon. I have here a note from your father reminding you that-"

"Sabrina." Her best friend was amazing but sometimes she could go overboard with a task. Pulling out a tablet from the backseat she immediately made a note to call Daddy later.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for the update but that's really not what I want to hear. Now, tell me, what's been going on with Adrien and Marinette. You had reported yesterday that she was getting restless and trying to corner him on his own."

That had concerned Chloe, if she was being honest. Glancing out the limo's windows, she thought back to their middle school and teen years. She'd seen the love Marinette had for Adrien grow as they slowly became closer friends. She knew that Marinette's love for Adrien couldn't be bottled up forever. That one day she would get the strength to confess.

"Yes. It seems that she managed to confess to him this morning at the park by her house. I'm sending you the video footage and pictures."

Chloe flipped through the pictures Sabrina had just send her on her tablet. Marinette's tear filled eyes and Adrien's guilty sad puppy face did not paint a happy confession. Those were not the faces of a happy just recently-got-together in-love couple.

Pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing deeply, Chloe inwardly cursed Adrien out. Looks like it was too much to hope for that **he** would have figured out **who** his precious Ladybug truly was, when out of the costume.

"...how's she taking it?"

"Not great. Both her mom and dad have gone up to her room with baked goods and stayed with her for a while. Raine says that Alya is on the move and heading towards the Dupain-Cheng household."

"Excellent. Tell Raine thank you for me"

Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng were good, supportive parents who, from what Chloe had always observed, truly loved their daughter and knew how to balance being approachable and stern. Smiling softly at the photo of Marinette hugging both her parents, Chloe knew she'd be fine in the long run. Of course Chloe hadn't been too worried about Marinette in the first place, the girl has a strong support base who can help her back up. No, the person she was truly worried about...

"And Adrien?"

"He's locked himself up in his room. I send you the photos of him too?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Give me a second."

Opening a photo, Chloe rolled her eyes at the tortured look on his face as he paced his room. Seriously and people called her a drama queen.

"Sabrina, keep an extra eye on Adrien. If their is no improvement in his attitude by the end of this week, send him an email reminding him that I **will** be calling him soon."

As **if** she's going to let that boy mope away in his room for the rest of the year. Honestly it looks like he won't ever get a clue at all unless she does something about it. But first...

"Roger that Chloe! Anything else?"

"Yes. Call Mrs. Dupain-Cheng and schedule a meeting with Marinette at my favourite coffee shop. It's time she and I talked. Oh! and don't let Adrien know I'm back in Paris. He's not expecting me for at least another two months."

Adrien and her **had** become friends after her disastrous confession all those years ago, but with his father breathing down his back about his studies, his side job as a superhero and his love issues with the **same woman**...Well, let's just say that he is a **full time friend** whose needs are **best** met if in **constant** connection. And quite frankly as much as Chloe adores him, she can not dedicate so much of her personal time to him **and** be able to manage the Akuma situation in Paris **while** running her own international company. Her business doesn't run itself you know, not to mention she feels that what she **does** do for him is more than enough.

"Got it. Is that all?"

"Yes. Thank you for your work Sabrina. I'll see you and Raine in about 7 hours. Giver her my love."

"No problem Chloe, have a safe flight! Raine and I can't wait to see you!"

Putting away her cellphone, Chloe settled in for the long car ride to the airport. Chloe hoped that the situation between Adrien and Marinette cleared up soon; she didn't know how much longer she could cover for them regarding Hawk Moth and his Akuma. The end to all of this is approaching soon and Paris would need Chat Noir and Ladybug as a strong team when that happened.

* * *

Arriving at her penthouse, Chloe dropped her bags on the floor and draped herself over the couch. It seems that she had beat Raine and Sabrina to the house. Feeling nostalgic she reached over to her purse and pulled out two photos in her wallet. Marinette Dupain-Cheng peered back dressed in her red and black prom dress while the other photo was of Ladybug smiling at a crowd. A small part of Chloe couldn't believe how long it had taken for her to realize the similarities between the two. To recognize the girl for who she truly was.

A sharp clatter of noise distracts Chloe from further musings, as the presence of her best friends immediately caught her attention.

"Chloe, we have arrived!"

"Hi Chloe! Welcome home!"

Smiling at their greetings, Chloe folded the photos into her pocket, got up and made her way to the entrance. Spotting Raine and Sabrina standing by the door, she quickly strode over and gave Raine an elegant curtsy before giving Sabrina a quick hug. Guiding them to the sitting room, Chloe gracefully poured each of them a cup of tea.

"Welcome home you two. How did you two like hanging out together while I was gone?"

Raine traded a glance with Sabrina before starting her piece as she made herself more comfortable in her customized chair.

"We had a lovely time Chloe, though Marinette and Adrien did make it a little troublesome with their lovers' quarrel. It seems their fight drew out a white moth. Thankfully Sabrina and I handled it pretty quickly, we have the moth locked up in a jar in the bedroom. Other than that little hiccup, everything else went smoothly. However I do admit to wishing you had allowed me to go with you to New York, even though I understand the logistics behind leaving me here with Sabrina. It's just that we had a beautiful time the last time we were in the States."

Sabrina nodded enthusiastically as she grabbed a few biscuits from the tea tray.

"Raine's right. We really did miss you while you were gone."

Chloe gave Sabrina a smile and Raine a quick kiss on the cheek. Perhaps a younger Chloe would brag about how she didn't miss them at all and how much fun she had in new York, but the current her knew how easily you could loose someone by taking them for granted. She never wanted that to happen to these two, so for them, and maybe two or three more people, she would show her affection.

"I know. I would have loved to have you both with me too. But it was only for a day and I really needed you two to keep an eye on the Marinette and Adrien. The last thing we needed was Hawk Moth succeeding in trying to change one of them into an Akuma."

And how worrying was that? The fact that he had been attracted to either Marinette's or Adrien's pain, enough to send one of his white moth's...she didn't even want to imagine an Akumatized Miraculous wielder.

"Anyway, we're going back to New York in four weeks for a whole month though, so at least there is that."

Grabbing her purse, Chloe took out two small presents.

"Here, I got you two a gift while I was gone."

Chloe hid a small smile as Sabrina's face lit up at the sight of a handcrafted old fashioned locket in stainless steel.

"Thank you Chloe! This is beautiful!"

"Why don't you look inside of it before you say anything?"

Inside were two photos. One of Sabrina, her father, and her mother when she was a baby and the other photo was of Chloe, Sabrina, and Raine taken last year during her birthday.

A small wordless cry broke from her best friend's lips as she hugged the locket to her chest.

"You spoil me Chloe."

"I do, don't I? Your turn Raine."

Chloe hid the anticipation she felt inside as Raine elegantly opened her gift. Raine was much more difficult to get gifts for. Wringing her hands a little, Chloe launched into a small rant on the gift.

"Do you like it? I had to search high and low to find one of **decent** quality in New York. And **then** find a decent artist who was **open** to fast and on the spot commissions."

Inside present was a beautifully crafted Mahogany box with a painted yin and yang symbol at the center of the lid and a series of turtlehead plants, foxglove, Beesia Calthifolia, Hosta Luna Moth, Cat's Claw Fern and Sarracenia 'Redbug' plants all around the border.

"I know it's nothing like the original but-"

A tearfully happy smile stopped Chloe's ramblings, as Raine delicately wiped away a few tears from her blue eyes.

"No, it's perfect. Thank you for the present. I love you too."

* * *

Sipping their tea, Chloe felt a sense of warmth spread through her. She really couldn't imagine a world where she didn't have Raine and Sabrina. Raine was her whole world while Sabrina was the foundation of her world. Raine was her center and Sabrina her rock. They both kept her sane and in check with her impulses.

Sabrina shifted her tea cup to the coffee table before pulling out her customized tablet. Looking at Chloe expectantly, Sabrina cheerfully asked, "So what's the plan Chloe?"

Placing her teacup down, Chloe took out her phone and began opening up her schedule.

"First, did you manage to schedule a meeting with Marinette this week?"

All of her plans would hinge on whether or not Marinette would agree to meet with her. If she didn't...well Chloe was certain she'd figure something out.

"Yup! Marinette herself confirmed to meeting with you at the cafe in two days time at 2pm."

Raising an eyebrow at the quick response, Chloe wondered if she should be concerned if Marinette had agreed so easily. To be honest Chloe had planned to have to pester an agreement out of Marinette.

"Does she know that it's **me** she's going to meet?"

Seeing Sabrina's smile falter a little at the question had Chloe immediately think this whole meeting was going to end up like a blind date gone wrong.

"Well...not initially but we did end up explaining that it was **you** who wanted to meet her. It took a long while on the phone but Marinette did eventually give us a 'yes'. Though she did sound very wary and defensive."

Relaxing further into her chair, Chloe smiled at the thought of Marinette's voice, confused and bewildered while slightly outraged at the thought of Chloe wanting to talk to her so soon after the rejection. Chloe may not have appreciated it as a kid, but Marinette could be super cute when she was caught of guard.

"Good. If she has enough strength to act like that at the mention of my name, then she isn't completely crushed. She still has her spark."

* * *

"What do you think Raine? Sterling silver earrings or white gold earrings?"

Hearing a soft laugh, Chloe glanced from the corner of her eye to where Raine was lying on the bed.

"This isn't a blind date with one of those boys you played with as a teenager, Chloe. This is Marinette. She's seen you dressed in your best before."

Huffing in frustration Chloe threw her earrings on the bed, "Yes but she has also seen me in the worst light possible for years."

Flopping onto the bed next to Raine, Chloe stared at the ceiling morosely.

"I...I just want her to see me and not think of me in disgust. I know that might be nearly impossible considering how much I tormented her when we were younger...but...I don't want her to look at me with those eyes filled with hatred anymore."

Feeling Raine creep next to her head, Chloe felt a soft kiss on her brow.

"I'm sure that after your meeting at the cafe today, she won't look at you with hatred in her eyes. Confusion, distrust, maybe even disgust but not hatred. Tikki would never pick a wielder with the ability to hate for so long. It goes against her standards after all."

Closing her eyes, Chloe relaxed as she felt Raine play with her hair while she soothed her worries.

"Raine...will you come with me today to the meeting? I don't think I'll introduce you to Marinette just yet but it'd be great if I knew you were close-by."

"Of course Chloe. I would love to join you. Now in regards to your question I think the white gold earrings would look perfect on you for this occasion."

Getting up from her too comfortable bed, Chloe grabbed the gold white earrings and put them on. Pulling her hair into a chignon, Chloe took out a yellow hair comb with a bee engraved at the top, and used it to keep her hair in place.

Raine floated up to her shoulder for one last look at Chloe's reflection in the mirror. Her yellow and black stripped little body matched, Chloe's black jacket and yellow top. Two sets of blue eyes peered at each other in the mirror for a moment before they both broke into smiles.

"You look perfect Chloe. A beautiful Queen Bee."


End file.
